Our discussion in class on Thursday solidified my belief that culture is topical when it comes to realism. A nation’s culture encompasses its distinct identity in terms of language, custom, art, and social institutions. If a nation chooses, the preservation of a distinct culture can equate to the survival of the state; it is just as strategically promising as the strengthening of a national military when developed correctly. I would like to briefly mention two modern examples of cultural protection. The first is France, an infamously proud nation, so proud that it actively relies upon the Academie Francaise to monitor and protect its language from foreign contaminants (usually English terminology relating to technology, such as “email”, “blog”, etc.) In this way, France militantly defends its culture to reinforce its image as a strong, independent nation-state that participates in a globalized world, but certainly is not consumed by it. From another perspective, Germany has become the main destination in Europe for refugees and those seeking asylum. In 2005, the German Federal Minister of the Interior Otto Schilly remarked, “Because of its history, Germany has a special obligation to accept political refugees. We are grateful that thousands of those persecuted during the Nazi regime on the basis of their race and political convictions were able to find refuge in other countries. Germany takes its responsibility seriously to grant asylum to victims of political persecution and to provide a new home for Jewish immigrants from Eastern Europe.” (http://www.cceia.org/resources/transcripts/5280.html) Germany now faces a myriad of issues regarding immigration, especially tensions between the native population and Turkish families. German culture is now inherently tied to Turkish influences, and only time will reveal the effect of this transformation on the nation. From a realist point of view, Germany’s loose immigration policy and willingness to accept foreigners as a form of redemption for past mistakes represents a weakness in political strategy that could eventually lead to the destruction of former Germany.
I think you bring up an interesting point- preserving culture is vital to the protection of the actual nation. I'd like to ask what you consider culture- your examples involved things like common vernacular and immigration population statistics, but would "pop" culture apply too? Very American culture would comprise things like Hollywood, or the popular music scene currently, etc. Would you consider those vital to preserving a nation as a whole or is there a distinction between what aspects of culture need to be preserved? Either way, I loved your post, and I think you bring up very valid points involving an international forum with respect to a nation's preservation of culture.
ReplyDelete"Pop culture" is still a part of the American culture. Our choice of "pop" is a reflection of our society, it is in itself a social commentary. Regardless of one's considered worth of such things as "pop culture" it is still a part of society that has had some impact on development (or lack there of) of ideas. Therefore, preservation includes ALL structures, concepts, and ideals of a culture.
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